Summer 2007 Research Opportunities
in the GES Department

1.         Petrology/Precambrian Geology Research (Dr. Hansen) : Students interested in this area will work on one or both of the following projects:
            a.         The metamorphism and mineralization of Keweenaw conglomerates.  This project will use the fact that there are a range of rock types and porosities in these conglomerates to study the effect of rock type and variations in fluid flow on the response of the rocks to low grade metamorphism and fluid induced mineralization.  The project may involve some field work but will largely emphasize thin section petrography, mineral chemistry (with the electron microprobe) and whole rock trace element analyses (ICP-MS).
            b.         Petrologic effects of shear zones in the southwest Sweden gneiss belt.  Eventually the goal is to take Hope students to Sweden to map this gneiss belt.  This may I will spend a week doing reconnaissance field work in the gneiss belt and collecting samples.  The student who works with me on those samples will help prepare thin sections from them, will describe the thin sections, possibly do some electron microprobe mineral analyses as well as whole rock chemical analyses.  The goal is to collect preliminary data that can be used to write a strong proposal to fund an ongoing project.

2.         Geomorphic History of the Lake Michigan Coastal Zone (Dr. Hansen):  This coming summer we will focus on sediment cores taken from small lakes within the coastal zone.  The idea is that these sediments will contain a relatively continuous record of the geomorphic and ecological changes along the coast.  There are two possible projects:
            a.         A study of the sediments and pollen from sediment cores from Goshorn Lake. This lake is just north of Saugatuck.  We will be concentrating on testing the hypothesis that changes in the pollen in these cores can be correlated with changes in the amount of growth and migration in the adjacent dunes.  If such a correlation can be found we will have created a new method for studying coastal dune history.  There is a good chance this will lead to a publication within a year.
            b.         A study of the chemistry and mineralogy of cores from small lakes adjacent to coastal dunes.  Our work so far has shown systematic changes in mineralogy and chemistry of the sediments from theses small lakes that may reflect some of the environmental changes responsible for stabilizing or mobilizing dunes.  Further work with both PIXE and the X-ray diffractometer needs to be done to confirm and refine these patterns.  There is a good chance that this will lead to a publication within a year.

                                                                                                                        (cont’d)

3.         Geochemistry of West Michigan Dune Sands (Dr. Peaslee) :  As part of a continuing project to trace the origins of the Lake Michigan sand dunes, we will be studying the trace-element composition of quartz sand grains collected from several dunes. Students will be using the Hope College Ion Beam Analysis laboratory to bombard individual sand grains with high-energy protons and to record the induced x-ray spectra for a variety of sand samples. Subsequent analysis of the x-ray spectra yields an elemental signature for each sand grain, and statistically significant numbers of targets will be observed for trends in trace mineral composition of the quartz sand grains. Mineralogical comparisons with local moraines and other potential sources of the dune sands will be used to help determine the provenance of the West Michigan sand dunes. Additional development of ion beam analysis techniques to identify and analyze mineral components in rock and sands will also be pursued this summer and students will be involved in every phase of these experiments.

4.         Analysis of Jurassic dinosaur and mammal fossils (Dr. Bodenbender) :  Fieldwork in Wyoming over the last 3 years has produced a collection of more than 500 dinosaur bones, bone fragments, and teeth.  In addition, we have samples of sediment that have yielded bones and teeth of smaller vertebrates including one mammal.  One student can work this summer to organize and analyze the fossil collection, including photographing, describing, measuring, and identifying dinosaur bones, with the goal of producing an overall description of the collection.  This will be a key component of a publication assessing the paleoenvironments and taphonomy of the field site.  Other aspects of the research may include processing sediment for microfossils, cleaning and stabilizing fragile fossils, or creating Digital Terrain Models of dinosaur bones from stereo photographs.

Please apply online by February 17th HERE